[thibs]

I think you mean Samsung, not Panasonic Samsung probably puts more work into their firmware, which is different from Pentaxes.

Mmm ? anything to back that claim?

[RMabo]

In the case of Pentax K20D and Samsung GX-20, the GX-20 was tested after the K20D, since the K20D came out first. Samsung had some issues with the first batches of the sensor (when K20D was released many customers complained about different sensor related problems), so the tested GX-20 uses one from a later batch. A re-test of a K20D from today would probably measure better than the tested sample. It took a while for Samsung to get good and consistent production quality.

[lol101]

Mmm ? anything to back that claim?

I don't know if Samsung puts "more work" in their firmware but the firmware in the GX cameras is certainly different than the one in Pentax cameras.

For example, jpeg output is different, there is no 200% option on the GX, the interface is different..., ..., so there is really no doubt that Samsung are making their own piece of firmware if that was your question.

[lol101]

In the case of Pentax K20D and Samsung GX-20, the GX-20 was tested after the K20D, since the K20D came out first. Samsung had some issues with the first batches of the sensor (when K20D was released many customers complained about different sensor related problems), so the tested GX-20 uses one from a later batch. A re-test of a K20D from today would probably measure better than the tested sample. It took a while for Samsung to get good and consistent production quality.

Plus the so called "differences" are really small and could very well just be attributed to sample variations, even in a later batch.

[RMabo]

Yes, sample variation - that is what I mean. But it was more sample variation in the beginning than it was later on, but yes could still be existing. It will be interresting to see if the new version of this sensor has same problems with sample variation or if it has been minimised.

[thibs]

I don't know if Samsung puts "more work" in their firmware but the firmware in the GX cameras is certainly different than the one in Pentax cameras.

For example, jpeg output is different, there is no 200% option on the GX, the interface is different..., ..., so there is really no doubt that Samsung are making their own piece of firmware if that was your question.

I know thatbut Nixcamic posts points to something completely different.

[Timothy]

I wouldnt read anything into the f1.2, thats just a photoshopped screen.

Fair enough and quite likely, but why on earth do manufacturers acknowledge and prod this practically universal fast glass fetish, then come out with a bunch of slow zooms and (in Pentax and Olympus's cases) slow 35mm equivalents (the 21mm Limited and Olympus's--presumably non-retrofocal--u4/3 17mm 1:2.8).

How come only portrait lenses can be fast now?

[nanok]

I don't know if Samsung puts "more work" in their firmware but the firmware in the GX cameras is certainly different than the one in Pentax cameras.

For example, jpeg output is different, there is no 200% option on the GX, the interface is different..., ..., so there is really no doubt that Samsung are making their own piece of firmware if that was your question.

i have a hunch the samsung firmwares (gx10 for instance) only have a different (arguably better) user interface. it might be that the "kernel" of the firmware is the same, and interface and such is developed by samsung. it's just a hunch, but notice that firmware updates for the samsungs _always_ follow the equivalent pentax.

jpeg output and other related stuff is highly tunable in the layer "above the kernel", userspace as we call it, i suspect, so we might be looking at a modular firmware system used by pentax and samsung together, it would certainly make sense.

[nulla]

Fair enough and quite likely, but why on earth do manufacturers acknowledge and prod this practically universal fast glass fetish, then come out with a bunch of slow zooms and (in Pentax and Olympus's cases) slow 35mm equivalents (the 21mm Limited and Olympus's--presumably non-retrofocal--u4/3 17mm 1:2.8).

How come only portrait lenses can be fast now?

Because fast zooms are very costly and Pentax do produce some fast 2.8 constants... do you think they would sell well as a kit lens?



Neil

[asdf]

Because fast zooms are very costly and Pentax do produce some fast 2.8 constants... do you think they would sell well as a kit lens?

A "cheap" but good 28-30mm f/2 or f/2.8 prime would be a pretty good kit lens for an APS-C camera. Manufacturers are going to stop making garbage, only if the consumers catch on and stop buying it.

[Timothy]

Because fast zooms are very costly and Pentax do produce some fast 2.8 constants... do you think they would sell well as a kit lens?

I don't want fast zooms, I want fast lenses. And f2.8 has not been fast for a normal-ish prime since the '30s.

[ogl]

It will be the announcement of GX-30 and NX3. I hope.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/622404-post1.html

[dsc2000]

As far as I found, there is no launching schedule about GX-30. The topic seems to be just a rumer.

[RMabo]

Samsung and Pentax uses basically the same firmware - they do differs in the user interface (Samsung using more icons and some finds it more stylish, Pentax has a simpler approach). Much of the code is the same, but Samsung has made some slight tweaks to it.

Pentax develops the base code, then Samsung adds their own things to it, but they are working close.

[RMabo]

Btw, I doubt that Samsung will re-use the K20D/GX20 design.
If Samsung releases their version of the K-7, it is most surely their own design they will use. First, they need to re-design anyway beacuse of the feature set - and they are quite unlikely IMHO to use the same industrial designer as Pentax did for the KxxD-serie (one more famous for Yamaha bicycles if I'm not misstaken now). Samsung has said before that they wish to release their own design, their own style approach - well, I have heard this for several years now ever since they signed with Pentax so it is about time to do it now!

Could very well look like an enlarged NX Or most likely uses the same industrial designer anyway, same design team.

*if* they release a "GX30", I'm not that sure that they do - even if there are some signs about it. Samsung has said that they will continue with the GX-line. But I'm not sure it will be a K-7 competitior, or if it will be a version of the "K-7 junior" model scheduled for later this year.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens.